In this building
by Geraldine
Summary: Toby's lost his talent. Sam's lost his talent too. They're so screwed ...


Title : In this building  
  
Author : Géraldine  
  
Email : lazy.gege@ibelgique.com  
  
Category : humor  
  
Rating : G  
  
Summary : Sam's lost his talent. Toby's lost his talent too. They're so screwed.  
  
Disclaimer: They belong to Aaron Sorkin, John Wells Productions, NBC, Warner Brothers, and I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. So obviously, they don't belong to me. I'm not making money for this story, I just have too much free time on my hands. So I'm begging : don't sue.  
  
Spoilers : In a very large way, for "Enemies"  
  
Thanks a lot to Emi, who beta'd the story.  
  
*****  
  
In this building  
  
Géraldine  
  
*****  
  
"We're screwed."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Completely screwed."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So screwed we - "  
  
"Sam?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Okay."  
  
*****  
  
The President stared at them, hard, and Sam began to squirm in his seat.  
  
"I'm waiting, gentlemen."  
  
Sam looked at Toby, who had buried his head in his hands.  
  
No help there, then.  
  
"Well?" the President insisted.  
  
Sam looked at Leo, who was fighting to hide his smirk.  
  
No help there either.  
  
Resigning himself to the harsh realities of the world (* someone * had to say * something * at some point), he said, "It all began with an innocuous comment Josh made, sir."  
  
*****  
  
"Hey, guys!"  
  
"No one should be that cheerful this late at night."  
  
"Still writing, Toby?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How is it coming?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good. You can almost see the inspiration dripping from the walls."  
  
"Whatever. Sam, you need to put a comma here."  
  
"If I were you guys, do you know what my biggest fear would be?"  
  
"No. And I don't care. But since it won't stop you, why don't you enlighten us, Joshua?"  
  
"To lose my talent. Imagine, being stuck on a speech that the President has to give in the next few hours. Imagine not getting the flow back. That would be worse than anything, wouldn't it?"  
  
* Pause *  
  
"Oh, well, that won't happen to you guys. Anyway, have to go. See you tomorrow."  
  
* Silence. Heavy silence. *  
  
*****  
  
Toby came back to life, and jumped from his seat. "It wasn't an innocuous comment. It was deliberate, he was trying to screw us up. It was a disastrous, no, a catastrophic comment, with cataclysmic consequences."  
  
He sat back down, and stared at his hands.  
  
"What did Josh say?" the President asked.  
  
Sam told him, trying not to stare at his boss.  
  
The President was perplexed, though. "So, what was the problem with Josh telling you that if he was you, he'd be scared of losing his talent?"  
  
There was a noise coming from Toby's direction. The noise sounded vaguely like the laugh of a demented man. Or the cry of a hyena.  
  
Sam focussed on the President. "Well, sir, we seem to have.misplaced it."  
  
"Misplaced it?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Your talent?"  
  
Leo had a quiet chuckle and Sam shot him an irritated glance.  
  
Bastard.  
  
This was no laughing matter.  
  
"We were stuck on the speech, sir," he added.  
  
"And hearing Josh's ino - , er, Josh's comment, made it worse?"  
  
Sam nodded sadly, comforted to see that at least the President seemed to sympathize with their plight.  
  
Bartlet still had a question. "But how did it lead to."  
  
He gestured vaguely and Sam looked at his feet. "Well, see, Charlie dropped by."  
  
*****  
  
"Hey guys, how's the speech going?"  
  
* blank stares *  
  
"Okay.I just wanted to tell you that he wants to see a draft. I don't see why, since these fundraisers speeches are all the same. But, you know, I'm just the messenger here."  
  
*****  
  
"And so you decided to use a three year old speech."  
  
"Yes, sir," Sam muttered.  
  
"Too bad I remembered this one, isn't it?"  
  
Sam was about to answer with a heartfelt, "Yes, sir," but he thought better of it. The President seemed nice enough, but there was a small vein throbbing on his forehead, and that couldn't possibly be a good sign.  
  
He stayed quiet and waited, for someone to begin screaming, or for his talent to come back.  
  
The President came to sit next to Toby, and Leo crossed his arms on his chest, still looking very amused.  
  
Bastard!  
  
Writer's block was nothing to laugh at.  
  
The President didn't say much. "Go write me a speech. Now."  
  
Sam would have loved to argue, to explain again the slight misplacement thing, but now didn't look like a good time.  
  
He dragged Toby out.  
  
*****  
  
"Let's look for it. Again."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"It's somewhere in this building, Sam."  
  
"I know."  
  
"We found it last time."  
  
"We did."  
  
"We can do it."  
  
"I'm scared, Toby."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Okay."  
  
*****  
  
Eight hours later, the crowd was applauding the President.  
  
Sam and Toby, slumped in their chairs, were drinking.  
  
Leo was eyeing them carefully, as if they might snap at any time.  
  
CJ was handling the press, smiling gracefully.  
  
And Josh was coming in their direction.  
  
Damn!  
  
"Hey guys, great job on the speech."  
  
Sam dropped his head on the table, and grimaced at the loud "thud" the collision made.  
  
Toby growled, "Josh?"  
  
"Yeah?" Josh answered cheerfully, oblivious to the bad vibes emanating from Toby.  
  
"Shut. Up."  
  
END 


End file.
